Search the Newsroom:

Sanford Health Announces World Clinic in Kunming, China

Sanford to collaborate with Chinese health care partner to provide care for children

(Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Kunming, China) Sanford Health announced today it is working with a health care system in the rapidly growing city of Kunming, China, as part of its World Clinics initiative. Sanford’s collaboration is with YMCI Calmette Medical Investment & Management Company, Ltd., a state-owned company of the Yunnan Provincial government. Together, the two entities intend to develop a pediatric clinic.

With a population of more than 6 million, Kunming is the political, economic, communications and cultural hub of Yunnan and the seat of the provincial government. Northern Kunming is experiencing tremendous growth and has a significant need for primary care for children. Currently, northern Kunming has 60 kindergartens, 30 primary schools and 11 middle schools.

“Kunming, particularly the area surrounding the pediatric clinic, is experiencing significant growth with tremendous numbers of young families. With this growth comes the increased need for health care,” said Li Li, MD, YMCI Calmette’s general manager. “We look forward to working with Sanford to provide care to children of this rapidly expanding region of China.”

The new two-story, 18,000-square-foot Sanford World Clinic in Kunming will have the capacity to hold up to 10 primary care pediatric physicians. YMCI Calmette may also utilize the clinic for rotating pediatric sub-specialists.

YMCI Calmette currently operates the non-profit First Hospital of Kunming, which was established in 1914 and is rated as one of the top 100 hospitals in China. YMCI Calmette is developing a new 1,100-bed hospital complex in the northern part of Kunming, which also will include a consolidated and expanded outpatient pediatric clinic in collaboration with Sanford. The hospital and clinic are expected to open in the spring of 2014.

Under the parties’ agreement, YMCI Calmette will own the pediatric clinic, and Sanford World Clinic will manage the day-to-day operation as well as provision of medical services. The children’s clinic will also have connection to Sanford Health’s extensive clinical, research and administrative expertise in South Dakota.

“The decision to expand into China stems from our goal to expand health care services to areas of need, especially where children need health care. This clinic also allows us to better understand how health care is delivered and financed around the world,” said Dave Link, Sanford’s senior executive vice president. “We are confident that we can assist YMCI Calmette achieve its mission to deliver the best care in the region, and we look forward to this collaboration.”

The connection to Kunming and YMCI Calmette was made possible through Zhiguang Guo, PhD, a research scientist with Sanford who previously worked with YMCI Calmette physicians.

In addition to the planned clinic for Kunming, China, Sanford World Clinics has opened facilities domestically in Oklahoma, California and Oregon and has internationally developed four clinics in Ghana, Africa. Sanford also is pursuing projects in Israel and Mexico and is evaluating several other locations worldwide.

About Sanford Health Sanford Health is an integrated health system headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and is now the largest, rural, not-for-profit health care system in the nation with locations in 126 communities in nine states. Sanford Health includes 39 hospitals, 140 clinic locations and 1,360 physicians in 81 specialty areas of medicine. With more than 26,000 employees, Sanford Health is the largest employer in North and South Dakota.

About YMCI Calmette Medical investment & Management Company, Ltd.YMCI Calmette Medical Investment & Management Company, which is owned by Yunnan Metropolitan Construction Investment Co, LTD and Kunming Department of Health, is established by the Kunming Government. YMCI Calmette, as the sole investor, is now constructing the new hospital of The First Hospital of Kunming-Calmette International Hospital located on the bank of the Panlong River, north of Kunming, Yunnan, China. Calmette International Hospital, a new and world-class hospital complex, includes 151475 square meters and a total investment of about 1.1 billion Chinese Yuan. The facility includes 1100 in-patient beds as well as 6 separate medical towers, a medical technology building and a 19-floor inpatient building. The new hospital is expected to open in 2014.